Roofapedia on the road - Grand Designs Live - 28/08/2012

In May we were lucky enough to attend Grand Designs Live at ExCel, London. This was a great opportunity to meet world-class experts in building, design and, most importantly, roofing! Presented by design guru Kevin McCloud and sponsored by Direct Line, this was the show’s 8th consecutive year.

Guest blog post - Be Energy Smart - 09/07/2012

My mates over at Be Energy Smart have kindly written a blog post for us!

The much publicised feed-in-tariff (FIT) debacle has made people begin to question whether reasonable financial returns can be made from fitting solar photovoltaic (PV) panels to their roofs. Of course, the question is really what is a reasonable financial return. This depends as much on the current economic climate and investment alternatives as it does on your roof.

Guest Blog - Knauf Insulation - 02/07/2012

My mates over at Knauf Insulation have kindly written a blog post for us!

The average home loses a huge 25 per cent of its heat through an uninsulated roof. As a result, insulating a roof or loft is one of the most efficient and cost effective ways to reduce energy bills. In fact, it could save you up to £175!

Roofapedia on the road - part 2 - 21/05/2012

Following on from our last post about the Ideal Home Show, we also attended the Homebuilding and Renovating Show last month. We were particularly excited about attending this show as a lot of the people who visit Roofapedia and submit questions are building their own home and want to find out what they need to know when it comes to building their roof from scratch.

Roofapedia on the road - part 1 - 09/05/2012

March was a top month for anyone interested in home renovation, maintenance or self-build projects as we were not only treated to the Ideal Home Show in London but also The Homebuilding and Renovating Show in Birmingham!

Top Ten Tips for a Tip Top Rooftop in 2012 - 30/04/2012

Read around!

If you’ve vowed to embark on a spot of home maintenance this year and want to ensure that you focus on the parts of your home that really count, here are my top ten tips of what to look for on your roof and in your loft space.

Top Ten Tips for a Tip Top Rooftop in 2012 - 23/04/2012

Look to your neighbours for ideas!

If you’ve vowed to embark on a spot of home maintenance this year and want to ensure that you focus on the parts of your home that really count, here are my top ten tips of what to look for on your roof and in your loft space.

Top Ten Tips for a Tip Top Rooftop in 2012 - 16/04/2012

Know how to tackle a leak!

If you’ve vowed to embark on a spot of home maintenance this year and want to ensure that you focus on the parts of your home that really count, here are my top ten tips of what to look for on your roof and in your loft space.

Top Ten Tips for a Tip Top Rooftop in 2012 - 09/04/2012

Find a reliable contractor

If you’ve vowed to embark on a spot of home maintenance this year and want to ensure that you focus on the parts of your home that really count, here are my top ten tips of what to look for on your roof and in your loft space.

Top Ten Tips for a Tip Top Rooftop in 2012 - 02/04/2012

Know your options Part 2 - Battens

If you’ve vowed to embark on a spot of home maintenance this year and want to ensure that you focus on the parts of your home that really count, here are my top ten tips of what to look for on your roof and in your loft space.

Top Ten Tips for a Tip Top Rooftop in 2012 - 26/03/2012

Know your options - part 1

If you’ve vowed to embark on a spot of home maintenance this year and want to ensure that you focus on the parts of your home that really count, here are my top ten tips of what to look for on your roof and in your loft space.

Top Ten Tips for a Tip Top Rooftop in 2012 - 19/03/2012

Consider going solar!

If you’ve vowed to embark on a spot of home maintenance this year and want to ensure that you focus on the parts of your home that really count, here are my top ten tips of what to look for on your roof and in your loft space.

Top Ten Tips for a Tip Top Rooftop in 2012 - 12/03/2012

Learn the vital components that make up your roof!

If you’ve vowed to embark on a spot of home maintenance this year and want to ensure that you focus on the parts of your home that really count, here are my top ten tips of what to look for on your roof and in your loft space.

Top Ten Tips for a Tip Top Rooftop in 2012 - 05/03/2012

Ventilate!

If you’ve vowed to embark on a spot of home maintenance this year and want to ensure that you focus on the parts of your home that really count, here are my top ten tips of what to look for on your roof and in your loft space.

Top Ten Tips for a Tip Top Rooftop in 2012 - 27/02/2012

Check your roof!

If you’ve vowed to embark on a spot of home maintenance this year and want to ensure that you focus on the parts of your home that really count, here are my top ten tips of what to look for on your roof and in your loft space.

Consider solar panelling - 20/12/2011

Despite the recent reduction in the FIT, solar panelling remains a useful, low carbon method of providing your home with energy for heating, hot water and electricity. It also has the added benefit of being renewable and supporting the environment.

If your insulation looks like this, chances are your roof is not insulated effectively - 18/12/2011

Thinking about battens? - 17/12/2011

Whether you’re building a new house, refurbishing an old property or replacing an old, tired roof, you will be choosing from a wide and diverse range of coverings and battens will be a major consideration.

Where to start with genuine slate? - 14/12/2011

How to remove moss from your roof - 13/12/2011

Have you spotted a patch of moss on your roof that you don’t like? Before I explain how to rid your roof of moss, I should point out that there is every chance that it will have little to no impact on the function of your roof and roof tiles.

Hire a professional - 09/12/2011

It’s a common mistake among homeowners to just select the first name in the Yellow Pages when finding a roofing contractor, but it’s of the utmost importance that you hunt around, get at least 3 quotes, request references and ask plenty of questions.

Know your tile history - 04/12/2011

A great man once said “learn from the past, prepare for the future, live in the present”. What better place to start that by looking at the history of roofing tiles in order to know how to preserve and maintain your roof in the present and prevent any problems in the future?

Check your roof regularly - 03/12/2011

Keep the tile and weight the same when replacing your roof - 02/12/2011

It’s worth noting that it’s not just an increase in weight that could be dangerous to your roof, lighter roof tiles could mean the roof structure becoming lifted in high winds so it’s best to stick to the original loading.

Coming full circle: the complete dry roof - 22/11/2011

It might sound stupid saying you want a dry roof – but in technical circles, this refers to the verges, valleys and ridges. Now that we’re talking about the verges, valleys and ridges, it’s clear we’ve come full circle in the roofing project. What began with me noticing mortar crumbling from the verges has turned into a large-scale re-roofing project that will leave me with a brand new, efficient roof.

Lets get technical......sort of - 18/11/2011

You should never be afraid to ask the roofer how he intends to fix your tiles - and there is no reason why you can’t specify how you, as the homeowner, want your tiles fixed. The choices are usually nail or clip, or both. Some roofers don’t even nail all the tiles, so a good starting point is to insist that every tile be fixed.

Insulate. Save Money. Simple. - 08/11/2011

Insulation is a key issue, as it's essential to meet the changing standards when undertaking any roofing project. However, it’s a good thing and starts saving you money on your bills straightaway because it keeps the warmth in the house, which saves energy.

Planning & Building Consent - 24/10/2011

You don't normally need planning consent to change the roof tiles on your roof, but before carrying out work like this, you should always check with your Local Authority to find out if there are any local planning constraints on your house.

Specification, Specification, Specification - 06/09/2011

It’s easy to leave the choice of roof tiles up to the roofer, or to make a choice based on colour and cost. These are all important – you should ask your roofer for recommendations, but you should also do some research yourself, as selecting the tile will be the single biggest decision you have to make when re-roofing your home.

The view from the roof isn’t always pretty - 23/08/2011

When you get high up on a building you might think the view of the valleys would be a welcome sight. Not if the roof you are talking about is the roof on my house, and the valleys you are talking about are the mortar valleys that form a critical part of the roof.

I've got a bad feeling about this...... - 18/07/2011

I saw mortar dropping from the verges of my roof the other week, I knew I needed to take a closer look and check it wasn’t a sign of a bigger problem. At the very least, they needed re-bedding. Anyway, I’d been meaning to re-paint or replace the fascias for a long while.